During the past twenty-five years, close to five generations of youth have participated in the Habonim Camps. The pioneers of Camp Kvutza were imbued with an all-consuming desire for creative Jewish living. They dedicated themselves to a form of society based on principles of self-labor and mutual cooperation. These pioneers transmitted their zeal and vision to succeeding generations of Jewish youth in Habonim who followed in their footsteps. Thus, Camp Kvutza enriched the lives of all who participated in its growth and development.
It is correct to say that Camp Kvutza is the basic source of strength for the entire Labor Zionist Movement in America. Today's leaders of Habonim are veterans of Camp Kvutza, as are most of our halutzim in Israel. The leaders and halutzim of tomorrow are at Camp Kvutza today, working, studying, playing - creating their own society of the future.
Through these years, much has been written both for Habonim and for the Jewish educational world on this unique form of camping. Many were the deliberations within the movement on the development, expansion, and content of Camp Kvutza. Many were the reactions written by campers while at Kvutza and upon their return to the city.
In compiling this collection, we were confronted with the wealth of material which has been accumulated for a quarter of a century, and with varying levels of presentation: from that of a thirteen-year old describing his experiences with childish enthusiasm, to that of a leader enlarging on the principles by which Camp Kvutza will function, to that of educators and community leaders analyzing and evaluating the significance of this departure in Jewish camping. Out of these diverse sources, we have not attempted to create a literary unit, but have presented the material in the differing forms in which it originally appeared.
Most of the material included has been gleaned from the Habonim archives: News and Views, Furrows, Haboneh, Menahel, convention reports, and internal organizational and educational bulletins. Many present members of Habonim will no doubt discover herein a world seemingly remote from today's reality. But they will find much which may inspire them and will guide them in their movement activities. Many adult readers who experienced the birth pangs and gradual development of Camp Kvutza in the United States and Canada will no doubt find nostalgia mixed with smiles upon the perusal of the articles. We hope, however, that each reader will find herein something of intimate significance as well as informational value.
We want to take this opportunity to thank the Chay Commission, Merkaz Habonim, our editorial committee, the office secretaries, and especially our patrons for making possible the publication of this volume.
The Editors
Summer, 1957